1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bell assembly, and more particularly to a bell assembly including an actuatable clapper for striking bell body without moving or shaking the bell body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical bells comprise a bell body, and a jinglet, sounder, hammer, tongue, striker or clapper disposed in the bell body, and movable to strike against the bell body, in order to make various sounds. Normally, the bell body is required to be moved, shaken, vibrated, or oscillated by the users, in order to make the sounds.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 1,349,694 to Roy discloses one of the typical bells that comprise a striker or clapper disposed in the bell body, for striking against the bell body to make various sounds. The bell body should also be shaken or oscillated by the users, in order to make the sounds.
The typical clock towers or bell towers may comprise one or more huge bells each having a striker or clapper disposed in the bell body, and a huge and/or complicated actuating device may be provided to rotate or to oscillate the bell body, for allowing the clapper to strike against the bell body, in order to make various sounds. The actuating device normally comprises a complicated configuration that may not be easily manufactured and installed in the bell towers.
For the huge bells of the other typical clock towers or bell towers, a huge and/or complicated actuating device may be provided to move or to oscillate the clapper, to force the clapper to strike against the bell body, in order to make various sounds. The actuating device normally also comprises a complicated configuration that may not be easily manufactured and installed in the bell towers. The huge bells of the typical bell towers may not be moved or shook by the users.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional bell assemblies.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a bell assembly including an actuatable clapper for striking onto the bell body without moving or shaking the bell body, and allowable to strike onto the bell body by moving or oscillating or shaking the bell body.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a bell assembly comprising a bell member, a securing device attached to the bell member, a seat rotatably secured to the securing device with a shaft, and rotatable relative to the securing device about the shaft, a resilient member including a first end secured to the seat, and including a second end, a clapper secured to the second end of the resilient member, means for rotating the seat relative to the securing device, to actuate the clapper to strike against the bell member, and to make sounds, without moving the bell member, and means for biasing the seat to engage with the securing device, and to disengage the clapper from the bell member. The clapper is allowed to strike against the bell member when shaking the bell member by users.
The bell member includes an aperture formed therein, the securing device includes a panel engaged with the bell member and a conduit extended from the panel and engaged through the aperture of the bell member, to secure the securing device to the bell member. The securing device includes at least one ear extended from the panel thereof and having a hole formed in the ear, to receive the shaft.
A housing is further provided and includes a plate having a barrel extended therefrom, the barrel includes a bore formed therein to receive the conduit, the panel of the securing device may force the bell member toward the plate of the housing, to secure the bell member in the housing.
The securing device includes a catch extended from the conduit, to engage with the barrel and to secure the conduit to the barrel. The barrel includes a peripheral shoulder formed therein to receive the catch of the securing device, and to lock the conduit to the barrel. The conduit of the securing device may include a slot formed therein to increase a resilience of the catch, and to allow said catch to detachably lock the conduit to the barrel.
The housing includes a first end having the plate provided thereon, and a second end having a peripheral skirt provided thereon, and at least one opening formed therein to form at least one bar therein, the bar is coupled between the plate and the peripheral skirt of the housing.
The housing includes at least one pad attached to the peripheral skirt to make a point-contact with supporting surfaces. The housing includes at least one projection extended from the plate thereof, and engaged with the bell member, to make a point-contact with the bell member.
A handle may further be provided and secured to the barrel of the housing, and moved in concert with the housing. The rotating means includes a rod slideably received in the handle and in the conduit of the securing device, and the rod includes an inner end engage able with the seat, to rotate the seat relative to the securing device against the biasing means when the rod is moved relative to the handle.
The conduit includes a bore formed therein, and a peripheral rib extended radically into the bore thereof, to engage with the rod, and to guide the rod to move axially along the conduit. The handle includes a bore formed therein to slideably receive the rod, and includes a peripheral flange extended into the bore thereof, to engage with the rod and to limit the rod to move relative to the handle.
The rod includes a knob secured thereto and extended out of the handle for being depressed by users. The rod includes a first end extendible out of the handle, and means for biasing the first end or the knob of the rod out of the handle, and to disengage the inner end of the rod from the seat.
The aperture of the bell member includes a non-circular cross section, the conduit includes a non-circular cross section to mate with the non-circular aperture of the bell member, and to prevent the securing device from rotating relative to the bell member.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.